Guatemala

Land & Spirit

A 7-Day Adventure For Adults

Duration

Description

Explore the convergence of ancient and modern lifestyles: investigate Mayan arts and culture, live with local families, and practice Spanish while basking in Guatemala’s patchworked landscapes.

Dates

Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2019

Suggested Ages

Adult Participants

Number of Participants

8-12

Availability

Open

Begins In

6 Weeks

Tuition

$3,100

Estimated Flight Cost

$800

Lake Atitlan

Antigua

San Juan Cotzal

Program Overview

GUATEMALA OFFERS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO QUESTION OUR IDEAS ABOUT IMPERIALISM, INDIGENOUS IDENTITY, AND THE VALUE OF TRADITION.

Unique to Central America, the majority of Guatemala’s population is indigenous. The country thus offers an especially rich context to explore the crossroads of traditional wisdom and ideas of development and progress. Against a backdrop of rolling green mountains and an azure lake, we explore the ways in which Mayan communities maintain traditional ways of life while adapting to an increasingly globalized world.

Program Highlights

Stay with a family of Maya descent in a rural community alongside the stunning Lake Atitlan.

Weave and paint alongside local artisans while learning about the intersection of history and Maya artistic traditions.

Delve into ancient spiritual traditions with Mayan priests.

Learn about sustainable agricultural practices and the local’s relationship to plants at the Meseoamerican Permaculture Institute (IMAP).

Meander through Chichicastenango, the largest market in Central America. The market is also a fascinating example of how spiritual traditions survived under colonial rule.

Focus Of Inquiry

Homestay

Spend 3 days with a local family in the town of Pachitulul on the south edge of lake Atitlan at the base of the volcano Santiago

2/5

Independent Study Project (ISP)

In Pachitulul and San Juan Cotzal, interview locals about topics of personal interest; projects often revolve around photojournalism, comparative analyses, personal experience and interviews

3/5

Language Study

Instruction to basic Mayan and Spanish from a native speaker with regular opportunities to practice with locals

2/5

Learning Service

Examine service through a critical lens; help with group roles and assist your host family with daily household chores.

3/5

Ethical Travel

Dragons participants are travelers not tourists. We respect cultural norms by staying in family-owned accommodations and taking local transportation when possible. The most profound learning moments often arise in the spaces in between, and traveling alongside locals creates space for un-orchestrated moments of engagement.

2/5

Day Hiking

On any program you choose, you can expect that Dragons instructors will guide you into the wilderness, exposing you to the pristine beauty of nature, undisturbed by the advances of modern development.

Photo Gallery

Click on the gallery below to browse photos, videos and quotes from our participants and instructors.

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A Closer Look

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"Come with an open mind and a willingness to question the way you view the world."

Brittany Sims Past Participant

“I’m in a state of transition now, with my kids growing up. I’m about to enter a new chapter in my life, which means letting go of some things and embracing others. Very sweetly, my four children all sent me off on this journey with words of wisdom and inspiration – just as I’ve sent them off on their own adventures. In fact, two of them are Dragons alumni themselves! Now, the tables have turned and though I’m the mom, they are drawing on their Dragons experience to support me on my journey.”